


In Haunted Hollow

by TheRedWulf



Series: Jaimsa One Shots [7]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Law Enforcement, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Autumn, Banter, Baseball, F/M, Family, Famous, Fluff, Halloween, Jaimsa, Lannister Babies, Law Enforcement, Major League Baseball - Freeform, Modern Era, Mostly Smut, Roosa-Past, Rough Sex, Smut, Some angst, fall - Freeform, small town
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-05 04:36:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20482973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRedWulf/pseuds/TheRedWulf
Summary: AU - Modern - In which a Major League pitcher runs from retirement and ends up finding his future...Picset is viewableHERE





	In Haunted Hollow

**Author's Note:**

> Happy September 1st!!
> 
> I can't stay away from Jaimsa one shots. Sorry. Not sorry.
> 
> I have maxed out the rating, for reasons.  
For the 100th time I don't consider myself a writer. This is unbeta'd so I apologize for any errors.
> 
> UPDATE - Thank you to 'FreakFromNorth' on tumblr for this fantastic [Picset!](https://freakfromnorth.tumblr.com/post/620305363425722368/%F0%9D%98%99%F0%9D%98%A6-%F0%9D%98%B3%F0%9D%98%A6%F0%9D%98%A2%F0%9D%98%A5%F0%9D%98%AA%F0%9D%98%AF%F0%9D%98%A8-in-haunted-hollow-%F0%9D%96%BB%F0%9D%97%92-the-red-wulf/)
> 
> Thank you for reading!

He smirked to himself, thinking for the thousandth time this week that he was the luckiest bastard alive. Not in the literal sense; he hadn’t been born out of wedlock (though one could argue that his father was a bit of a bastard), but he had been a man lost, a leaf on the wind when he had met her. 

Her. A woman, of course, don’t they always change everything? Sometimes for the worse, but in this case, she changed things every inch for the better. 

He’d been a man on the run, running from his last name, his failed career, his family’s expectations and the sinking feeling in his stomach that reminded him he wasn’t the son his father wanted him to be. So he did what every scared little boy did, he ran. It didn’t matter that he was nearly forty or that he was running in a very expensive car, he ran. 

He just had no idea that he was running right into her arms...

Jaime had been driving all day, he drove until he realized he didn’t recognize where he was, the fuel light on the dashboard blinking to remind him that the need to stop was imperative. 

Near sunset, he pulled off the highway and found himself in a small town called ‘Haunted Hollow’ and every inch of it was decorated for autumn. 

“Gods” he muttered as he pulled into the gas station. It was like driving into a movie, he laughed to himself. A horror movie, possibly, but a movie all the same. 

As he fueled up his car, an old green Ford truck pulled into the station and he watched in rapt fascination at the tall, willowy redhead that emerged, humming to herself as she set about using the gas pump beside his. 

She wore dark jeans tucked into leather boots, a plaid shirt and one of those puffy down vests he only saw on hunting shows. Her hair was in a ponytail, but the length still reached her mid-back, swaying as she dealt with the pump. 

He had spent so long in the glitz and glamour of the city that he had forgotten what natural beauty looked like. He forgot that a woman without ten pounds of makeup and hairspray could look just as stunning as any model on the runway. 

He grimaced at the ignorant thought, even more grateful that he had run away from everything. He shouldn’t be surprised at her beauty, he shouldn’t think that fake eyelashes and thousand dollar dresses were the norm. 

She must have felt his stare because as she set the nozzle in her truck, she tucked her hands into her vest pockets and turned to smile at him. 

“Hi” he said lamely, then scoffed at his own ridiculousness. 

“Hi” she replied, her voice smooth and elegant. “Tourist?” 

“Passing through” he replied. 

“Ah” she nodded. “Well, welcome to Haunted Hollow.” 

“Is it haunted?” he smirked. 

“Possibly, sounds like you won’t be here long enough to find out, though,” she smirked. 

“I suppose that is true,” he replied. “Are there any restaurants nearby?” he asked when he realized that he hadn’t eaten since breakfast and he was starving. 

“I am headed to the diner from here, it's the only gig in town,” she replied. “Just follow me if you want.”

“Alright” he nodded as his pump clicked off. By the time he was back in his car, she was putting the cap back on her gas tank and getting into the monstrous truck. She fired it up with a roar and he followed her back onto the road. 

The town was small, but well-kept. The downtown area was filled with hay bales and fall decorations, the bright light of orange twinkle lights giving it a spooky feel. The residents here obviously banded together to take care of their town. Not like the city, he sighed, trash and filth everywhere, urban decay happening under the noses of them all. 

She pulled into the Hollow Diner, a 1950’s style place that was, of course, decorated for fall. The parking lot was nearly full, their vehicles grabbing the last two spaces. As he locked his car, he noticed that she hadn't locked hers, instead leaving the window half down as she wandered toward the crowded diner. 

“Here” he grabbed the door, opening it for her and she preceded him side. 

“Hey Chief!”, "Chief!", "Howdy!" voices rang out as she moved inside. She greeted several people by name, stopping to greet others with hugs or handshakes. 

“I am so glad you’re here” a young brunette smiled, hugging her. “Oh and you brought a date? Who is he, he’s delicious.” 

“He’s not my date, Gilly” the redhead laughed. “He’s just passing through, looking for a bite to eat.”

“Oh, well I only have one table” Gilly frowned. “School fundraiser and all.” 

“No worries” the redhead glanced back to him. “We can share, if that is alright?” 

“Yeah, sure,” he said, shrugging out of his cashmere overcoat, feeling decidedly out of place in his three-piece suit. 

The redhead grabbed two menus and lead him to the open booth at the back, stopping a dozen times along the way to greet patrons. They slid into the booth, their combined heights having their knees hitting until they got properly situated. 

“Sansa Stark” she extended her hand as she handed him a menu. 

“Jaime Lannister” he took her hand, shaking it quickly. “You’re the Chief?”

“Chief of Police” she nodded. “A family tradition, if you will,” she motioned to a framed 8x10 photo hanging on the wall of the booth. In the photo was a group of people in dark uniforms, all of them smiling with their arms around each other. He spotted her at the right side, looking slightly younger than she did now, both of her arms around the waist of the officer next to her. 

“You” he prompted, pointing to her. 

“Me” she smiled as she pointed. “Ex-boyfriend now best friend, brother, father, uncle and cousin.” 

“Gods, you weren’t kidding” he laughed, running his hand through his hair. 

“Nope” she replied. “So which city is it you’re from?” 

“King’s Landing” he replied and she grimaced. “My feelings exactly.”

“Terrible city, terrible politics” she stated. 

“I agree,” he said as the waitress arrived, a younger blonde girl with braces and a huge smile. 

“Hi Chief! Usual?” she asked. 

“Absolutely, Shireen, thank you” Sansa replied. 

“And you?” Shireen asked him. 

“Out of curiosity, what is the Chief’s usual?” he glanced at the menu. 

“Bacon cheeseburger, American cheese, fries with ranch and decaf” Shireen announced with pride. 

“Sounds good, I’ll have the same, except with barbecue sauce, please,” he said, handing the young girl their menus. When he looked back to Sansa she had a curious look on her face. 

“Barbecue sauce?” she made a face. “That is only acceptable on actual barbecue items.”

“The finest of condiments” he countered. 

“For a 7 year old, maybe” she laughed. “Barbecue chips are even worse.”

“Wow, for the Chief of Police that is really offensive language” he raised his hands in placation. 

“You haven’t spent any time around law enforcement, that was quite tame” she smirked. 

“I have been fortunate enough to avoid the law, yes” he nodded. 

“So what do you do?” she asked after a brief pause. “That is a very expensive suit, not to mention car, to be travelling through the backwoods of Haunted Hollow.” 

“Well, I did play baseball” he replied with a frown. “But last season I took a direct hit to the knee and now I am retired, rather reluctantly.”

“You’re the Kingslayer” she chuckled. “I should have recognized you, stupid me. I promise I am not a terrible cop.” 

“I am--or, was” he replied. ‘Kingslayer’, a nickname he earned in the World Series, pitching a no-hitter against the Riverland Royals where he not only broke their three World Series win streak, but also struck out their king and captain, Aerys Targaryen, ruining his career.

“Roose is going to shit when he sees you” she laughed, leaning forward to point to the older man beside her in the photograph, the one she’d called the ‘ex-boyfriend’. Just then the waitress arrived with their coffee cups, filling them with a smile. “Thank you, Shireen.” 

The bell over the diner’s door opened and Jaime turned to see a tall, huge, dark haired man in a deep blue uniform walked in, shrugging out of his jacket as he greeted the patrons. Jaime turned back, noticing the smirk that Sansa tried to hide behind her cup as she sipped her coffee. 

“Roose, I assume?” 

“Oh yeah” Sansa smirked, raising her hand in a wave. “Hey big boy, get over here and show your Chief some respect” she called out and the others around them laughed, obviously used to the odd dynamic at play. 

Jaime, however, was fairly certain he had fallen asleep at the wheel on the highway, died and was now in an alternate universe. 

“Oh hush, you harpy” the large cop laughed, making his way to their table. He bent down and kissed Sansa’s cheek before he slid into the booth beside her, his arm on the back of the bench. “And---holy shit” he paused as he finally realized Jaime was sitting there. 

“Jaime” he extended his hand. 

“Sergeant Roose Bolton” the large man shook his hand. “Big fan.”

“Yeah, I warned him” Sansa said as the big man picked up her coffee cup and took a drink. “That’s mine, jackass.”

“Consider it payment, I rolled your damn truck window up for the millionth time” he smirked. 

“Remind me to send you an embossed ‘thank you’ card” she quipped. 

“I don’t have much time anyway, on the way in I noticed that old man Frey is on his tractor again, which means in about fifteen minutes max, I am going to have to go turn the thing off, yank it out of a ditch and cart his drunk ass home. Again” Roose said and Jaime couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“Another wild Friday night in Haunted Hollow,” Sansa smiled. 

“So, what brings you to town?” Roose asked Jaime. 

“Passing through” he replied and the cop nodded. 

“Sorry about your knee” Roose said. 

“You and me both” Jaime chuckled. 

“If you don’t have a destination, you should stay in town” Roose continued. “Next weekend is the big harvest festival but tomorrow is the annual fall baseball game. First year this one and I aren’t on the same team” he motioned to Sansa. 

“I don’t know if harvest festivals are my thing” Jaime admitted. 

“They aren’t my thing either, but I am going to strike this one out if it kills me. She hits like a freight train even though she’s so damn thin” Roose laughed as his radio cackled to life, the person on the other end telling him to get to Frey Ranch. “Told you” Roose sighed to Sansa. 

As he stood and pulled his jacket back on, their food arrived. The portions were huge, definitely heartier than anything Jaime has seen in the city. 

“Roose” Sansa said, cutting her burger in half and handing one side to him. 

“Thanks, Chief” he took the burger with a smile, eating it as he made his way out of the diner. 

“And he’s your _ex_?” Jaime asked. 

Sansa laughed, “Yeah. He was my ‘teenage rebellion’, I guess you could say.” 

Jaime raised a brow, “Isn’t he...my age?” 

“I was eighteen, he was...thirty, I think” she shrugged. “Like I said, rebellion. The man can fill out a uniform, I couldn’t resist” she laughed. 

“Good Gods, what did he do, pick you up from high school in the cop car?” Jaime joked. 

“Once or twice” she replied, unphased by his joke. “In case you haven’t noticed, Jaime, there aren’t a lot of people in Haunted Hollow. Not a huge dating pool. I was in high school the same time as my cousins, brothers and sister. I was limited and older men are much, much better.” 

Jaime paused as he raised his burger to his mouth, “Its official, I died on the highway somewhere and this is another universe.”

“Hardly” Sansa shook her head. “Don’t worry that pretty head of yours, I was legal the first time he touched me. You act like an older man and a younger woman isn’t a thing in the city.” 

“A valid point” he conceded. They lapsed into silence as they ate, the food the best he’d tasted in a long time. She was nearly finished with her half-burger when she spoke once more.

“Somewhere on the wall by the cash register is a picture of me in my cheerleading uniform with Roose, that will really fuck you up, eh?” she teased. 

At that he laughed, shaking his head, “You are an odd duck, Chief.”

Sansa smiled as she popped a french fry into her mouth. It was quite clear that Jaime Lannister was not close to understanding small town life. He had looked so lost at the gas station, she’d felt bad for him. He carried a sadness on his shoulders and in his eyes that would eat the soul of any man. 

He was handsome as sin, she’d give him that. Golden blonde hair that fell across his forehead in a rakish way and a jaw that was sharp enough to cut glass. She had noticed him the moment she’d pulled into Edd’s Gas, wondering what the hell a man who looked that good was doing in Haunted Hollow. 

She supposed, to the outside world Haunted Hollow was podunk, but she loved it here. She’d left town long enough to go to the State’s police academy and then returned to serve her community. Now, at 28, she was the youngest Police Chief on record, not by any design other than the fact that she was the only one who wanted the job. None of the guys wanted to handle the bureaucratic red tape or deal with the state, so she had stepped in to run the department. 

Her family all still lived in town, as did Roose, her best friend and once lover, and she was happy here. She had no reason to leave. Her life may seem small to someone who’d played major league baseball for decades, but that was more his problem than hers. 

They shared small talk as they finished their meal and she shook her head when he reached for his wallet, “No” she smiled. “Shireen knows to put it on my tab. Let a woman buy you dinner for once, three-piece” she teased, glancing to his suit. 

“Three-piece” he chuckled. “Thank you for dinner, Chief.”

“Now you sound like a Haunted Hollow resident” she smiled. A few minutes later she was walking out of the diner, the tall, lean form of Jaime behind her as they walked into the cool night air. It had gotten quite cold while they were inside, and she begrudgingly admitted to herself that Roose had done her a favor, rolling her truck window up. “Where ya headed from here?” she asked Jaime. 

“I don’t know” he frowned. “I wasn’t really planning, I just packed a bag and started driving.”

“Can’t run forever,” she said. 

“I know” his frown deepened. 

“Stay the weekend” she found herself saying impulsively. “This town knows how to celebrate autumn. You might actually enjoy it.” 

“You any good at baseball?” he smirked. 

“Terrible” she lied and he laughed.

“If I stay, how long before the press shows up?” he asked solemnly. 

“They won’t, we’re a quiet, private town and we aren’t even on the map,” she said. “You’d be safe here, should you want to be.”

“I don’t know if I am safe anywhere” he scoffed. “At some point my agent--my father, will find me.”

“I’ll arrest him, rough him up a bit” Sansa replied and he laughed, this time his eyes losing some of that darkness. “You can stay with me. I have a cabin in the woods, you can hide away from the world, three-piece.” 

“Are you going to call me three-piece forever now?”

“It’s ‘three-piece’ or ‘slugger’, take your pick” she countered. 

“Alright” he gave a small nod. “I’ll stay. At least until I figure out where I am going.” 

“Alright” she pulled her keys from her pocket. “Follow me, ‘slugger’.” 

“I’ll stick with ‘three-piece’.” he smiled as he opened his driver’s door. “‘Slugger’ just makes me feel like I am eight years old again.” 

“Sounds good to me, three-piece.”

Sansa slid behind the wheel, wondering if she had truly lost her mind, as she fired up her old pickup truck. The truck had belonged to her Uncle Brynden when she was a kid, and when she started driving her Dad had bought it for her. It was old, beat up but ran like a top and she loved it. 

Pulling out of the parking lot, she saw Jaime’s fancy headlights behind her as she headed up the road. The decision to invite him to stay was impulsive, something she wasn’t very often, and she would be more worried about her safety if she wasn’t a damn surgeon with a shotgun. 

Besides, she chuckled to herself as she turned down her long driveway, she always took in strays as a kid, this wasn’t much different. Only, this time she wondered what this stray could do with those pitcher’s hands of his. 

Shaking the thoughts from her head she parked in her usual spot in front of the detached garage, shutting the engine off as Jaime pulled his expensive black car beside her. She grabbed her backpack from the seat and shotgun from the rack on the window before she exited the truck, kicking the door shut as Jaime popped his trunk and pulled a large duffel bag free. 

“Let’s go, three-piece” she smiled, heading up the porch steps and to the front door, working it open and heading inside. The cabin wasn’t really a cabin, but a log home tucked into the treeline and hidden from the road. It was a single story but had 4 bedrooms, a huge kitchen and living area that was mostly windows, making it feel like you lived in the woods themselves. The backyard went out for a while before dropping to the lake beyond. “Make yourself at home,” she told him, tossing her backpack onto the kitchen table and setting the shotgun by the front door. “That’s loaded...so best not touch it eh?”

He nodded, “I will leave any shootouts to you,” he said. 

“Second door on the left is the spare room, directly across from it is the bathroom, towels and everything are in the cabinet,” she explained. “You like apple cider?”

He frowned, “I don’t...know.”

“Okay wow, three-piece” she shook her head. “Put your bag down, you’re about to have your next favorite beverage.” He wandered to the back of the house and she moved to the kitchen, getting to work. Setting the water to boil she crossed to the fireplace, grabbing the kindling and newspaper to get the fire going and knock the chill out of the house. 

By the time Jaime emerged she was pouring two mugs of apple cider, “Perfect timing” she picked one up and handed it to him, her eyes raking over him. He had ditched the suit jacket and vest, his tie was gone and he wore only his slacks and shirt, partially unbuttoned. “Well well, three-piece, you look much better relaxed.” 

“For your information, I wore the suit for the press conference this morning where I announced my retirement” he explained, taking the mug. 

“I see” she picked up her own mug and motioned to the couches. “After the press conference, you ran?” 

“After the argument with my agent father that took place after the conference, I ran” he explained. 

Sansa kicked off her boots and sat on the couch, sipping her cider as Jaime took the opposite end of the couch. “From what you’ve said so far, I gather the retirement was your only option.”

He nodded, “My knee, even with surgery, could give out at any time. Combined with being 39 and a near twenty year veteran, the team chose not to renew my contract.” 

“I am sorry, Jaime, truly.” 

Jaime nodded, noticing that she had used his name rather than the nickname, “I am nearly forty and now I have to figure out what I want to be when I grow up” he spoke aloud the fear that had been chasing him all day. 

“You don’t have to do anything,” she reasoned. “I would assume that finances aren’t an issue, you don’t have a wife or kids to worry about, I mean unless you do--”

“No” he grimaced. “I wouldn’t have run if I had a family to worry about.” 

“Then you have time” she continued. “You can do whatever you want. Coach, recruit, be a sportscaster for crying out loud. You don’t have to decide tonight, or tomorrow of even this month.” 

“You don’t know my father” he sipped from the mug she had handed him. “This is really good, you’re right.” 

“Told you” she smirked. “And what’s wrong with your father?” 

“He is my agent, first and foremost, the man who pushed me to play baseball as a kid in the first place,” he explained. “I didn’t tell him about the retirement, he was upset.”

“Upset” she repeated. 

“Very upset.” 

“I see” she sipped her drink. He realized then how much of a home this room felt like. From the warm wooden walls and the dark furniture, it just felt comfortable, welcoming. She had shed her vest at some point and she had her legs tucked up under hers on the couch. “Well the good thing about Haunted Hollow is no one has ever heard of it. As you can see, I have the space, you can lay low here until you chose to leave. No one in town will say anything once I tell them not to. We’re a big family here.” 

“It would seem that way, everyone in the diner knew you” he chuckled. 

“And most of them have known me since I was in diapers,” she smiled. “Mom’s the mayor now and the Starks are one of the founding families.” 

“And Roose won’t mind you taking me in?” he asked and she laughed, shaking her head. 

“Roose and I broke up a long time ago, Jaime, and since then he has managed to fuck every eligible woman in town, tourist or otherwise” she explained. “He’s my best friend, but nothing more than that now. Why, three-piece” she smirked and he felt it like a punch to the gut. “You’re not trying to get into my bed, are you?”

“A loaded question if I have ever heard one” he sipped his cider. 

“An evasive answer if I have ever heard one” she countered. 

“Well...I wouldn’t say ‘no’,” he admitted. 

“It's the wool socks, right?” she wiggled her toes. “Drives men _wild_” she laughed, shaking her head.

Jaime couldn’t help but smile at her, she exuded happiness and her snarkiness kept him on his toes. He imagined that working in law enforcement enabled her to see through people’s bullshit, call them on it when needed. He’d never met a woman like her, he was thoroughly charmed. 

“Don’t worry, three-piece” she said. “I won’t take advantage of a helpless man.” 

“Good to know” he replied. 

“The game is at 10am tomorrow” she changed the subject. “If you want to go, you’re welcome to ride with me. I won’t even make you pitch. It’s really laid back, we just want to have fun.” 

He nodded, “Yeah, I’ll go.”

“Roose pitches, he’s terrible” she laughed softly. 

“And you” he watched her. “You’re a first baseman?” 

“Catcher” she smiled. “I am stronger than I look. I played Varsity softball in high school, and can still manage to throw to second base from my knees.”

“Color me impressed” he sipped his drink. “I like a woman who is good on her knees.”

“Oh three-piece, smooth, very smooth” she replied. They enjoyed their companionable silence for a short while before she stood and placed the metal grate in front of the fireplace. “I am going to get some sleep. I will see you in the morning, yeah?” 

“Yeah, I will head to bed in a bit, my head is still a bit scattered” he told her. 

“I understand, there is more cider on the stove if you want it,” she told him and with that, she vanished down the hall. 

Jaime watched the fire for a while, eventually carrying her mug from the coffee table to the sink and refilling his own. He sat on the couch until the fire had died, and exhaustion was finally slowing his mind. It had been a very long time since he could sit in silence, away from the chaos of the world and sort through his thoughts. He noticed, as he stood to go to bed, that Sansa didn’t have a television, only several large bookcases along the wall. 

What would it be like, he wondered, to hide away and simply live without the world watching your every move. Sure, success had brought him fame and fortune, but it had also brought invasive reporters, gold diggers and a never-ending flow of fans that meant he hadn’t eaten an uninterrupted meal in a very long time. Jaime “Kingslayer” Lannister was a man nearly everyone recognized, but tonight he’d been Jaime, even to Roose who was a baseball fan, he’d been treated like a regular man. 

Placing his empty mug in the sink he made his way to the spare room, collapsing across the comfortable queen-size bed. The sound of crickets filled the air around him and soon he was pulled into the tide of slumber. 

“You have to run faster than that!” Sansa taunted Roose as she launched the ball from home plate to second base, the baseman tagging Roose out as he tried to steal second. Roose shook his head, laughing as he made his way back to the bench. 

Jaime was sitting in the middle of the large crowd, clad in jeans, a hooded sweatshirt and borrowed jacket, no one paying him any mind as they watched the game. Around him families were passing around baked goods, paper cups of coffee and even a few quilts, everyone bundling up to stay warm.

Sansa was in an old set of catcher’s pads, her hair in a ponytail once more as she made calls to the pitcher, a tall man with a similar shade of red hair to hers. 

“Strike 3! You’re out!” the umpire called and Sansa stood, the pitcher running to high five her as they hit the bottom of the inning. 

“Her brother, Robb” the man beside him spoke, almost as if he sensed how intently he was watching Sansa. 

Jaime turned to the man, vaguely recognizing him “Uh..”

“I’m Ned, Sansa’s dad” he extended his hand and Jaime shook it. “I saw you ride in with Sansa this morning.” 

“Ah, right” Jaime nodded, shook the man’s hand. “You’re in the photo at the diner.”

“Yeah, a few of them” he smiled warmly. “The pitcher is Robb, my eldest, he’s HH Police. First base is Jon, my sister’s boy and also HH Police. Shortstop is my youngest, Rickon and Bran, is out in the outfield, he’s just a few years older than Rickon” he explained, then began to point to people in the crowd. “Robb’s wife Jeyne and their son, Brandon. Jon’s wife Val there on the away bench and the dark haired girl there, the away catcher is my daughter Arya, HH Fire Department. I am sure my wife is somewhere holding court.” 

“Really is a small town, eh?” Jaime chuckled. 

“Very” Ned nodded. “Stark’s are a big family, which doesn’t help. I know it can be overwhelming at first, but you get used to it.” 

“Yeah, I am not used to everyone knowing everyone” Jaime admitted. 

“King’s Landing is much bigger than Haunted Hollow” Ned shrugged. “But since Sansa has vouched for you, you’re one of us now.” 

“It doesn’t...bother you? That the whole town knows I stayed at her house last night?”

Ned shook his head, “Sansa is a grown woman and makes her own decisions. She sure proved that when she started going around with Roose” he chuckled. “Besides, there isn’t exactly a large dating pool here. I met my wife when she passed through town a long time ago on her way home to the Riverlands. Which, by the way, she won’t be a fan of yours, she’s watched the Royals since she was a kid.” 

“Great” Jaime laughed. 

“Don’t worry, her power as Mayor doesn’t exceed Sansa’s as Chief” Ned smirked. 

Jaime watched as Roose’s large form made its way to the mound and Sansa moved to batting position, her ponytail tucked under a batting helmet now. He watched Roose’s form as he wound up and threw his first pitch. Roose was strong, there was no way around that, but Sansa was right he was wild. 

“Ball 1!”

The second pitch went much the same and then before he could stop himself, he was on his feet, “ROOSE!” Jaime yelled and everyone seemed to turn to watch him. “Tuck your elbow in and stop leading with it! It will just slow you down!”

“Hey! Shut up!” Sansa yelled back at him and a few around him laughed. 

Jaime sat once more, clearing his throat as he realized how many stares he had incurred. Roose’s next pitch sailed right passed Sansa and into the smaller Stark girl’s glove. 

“Strike 1!”

Sansa turned and pointed her bat at Jaime, “You suck! Talk again, I am going to arrest you!” 

“What’s wrong, champ? Can’t hit it?!” he yelled back at her. 

“Oh, I’ll hit something! Consider yourself arrested!”

“Swing batter batter, swing!” Robb’s wife laughed. 

"You too!" Sansa shook her head and refaced Roose, taking her position. Roose wound up and launched another straight into the catcher’s glove. 

“Strike 2!” 

“I hate you!” Sansa yelled at Roose. 

“I know!” he yelled back as she took position again. 

Jaime smirked as she corrected, swung earlier and this time she connected with the ball, a resounding smack echoed in the air as she sent it sailing to deep left field. She was running, watching as the ball sailed over the fence and into the woods beyond. 

She jumped in celebration, her helmet flying off as she ran the bases and to home plate. She looked up at him and gave a bow and mock salute. The catcher, her sister, smacked her ass with the glove as she sauntered by and returned to her team, high-fiving them all. 

“She’s going to be smug all day now” Ned chuckled. 

“Great” Jaime laughed. 

In the end, Sansa’s team won 8-7, the close game had them all on their feet in the last inning. When it was over, everyone seemed to migrate to the adjacent park where others had barbecues and tables set up. 

Jaime lingered back, waited for Sansa and when she emerged from the dugout with her gear bag she gave his arm a smack, “Stop coaching the other team!”

Jaime laughed, “Hey, you said it was a friendly game.” 

“Not _that_ friendly!” she laughed. 

“Nice home run, champ” he bumped her shoulder with his as they walked to the park. 

“Thanks, three-piece” she bumped him back, smiling over at him. “Buy you a beer?” 

“Talked me into it” he replied, following her to a series of coolers where she tossed her bag to the grass and grabbed to bottles of beer from the closest tub of ice. She opened them both, handing him one and raising her bottle. 

“To home runs” she smiled. 

“To elbow drag” he countered and she laughed as they clinked their bottles together. 

Sansa stole a glance at Jaime, watching as he spoke animatedly with her mother and eldest brother, both of them laughing at whatever he was telling them. 

“Close your mouth, you’ll drool on yourself” Arya teased her, moving to sit on the picnic table beside her before handing her another beer. 

“Oh please” Sansa scoffed. “Can you blame me? Look at him.” 

“Oh I know” Arya smiled. “I bet he’s fantastic in bed. Those pitchers have to have stamina, ya know?” 

“And that upper body strength” Sansa smirked. 

“Please tell me you’re going to get it, please, for both of us” Arya sipped her beer. “You _have_ to get that dick.” 

“Such a foul mouth, where is Gendry the fireman with his big hose to cool you off” Sansa gasped. 

“With Jon” Arya motioned to their left. “You want to talk about a man who is good with big equipment” Arya wiggled her eyebrows. 

“Good fucking God, I did not need to know that” Sansa gagged. 

“No joke, I was lucky that I was able to crouch today” Arya snorted. “But seriously, Lannister, you need to hit it and report back.” 

“I’ll see what I can do” Sansa drank deeply of her beer. 

“The way he watches you, it won’t be hard” Arya noted. “Assuming you didn’t get it last night and are holding out on me.” 

“Nothing happened last night” Sansa assured her little sister. 

“Tonight then?” Arya giggled. 

“You’re terrible” Sansa laughed. 

“Oh, here he comes” Arya smiled as Jaime made his way over. “He even walks with big dick energy.”

“The other catcher” he smiled. 

“Arya” her sister extended her hand and Jaime shook it. “Also a Royals fan.” 

“That’s alright, probably why your stance is too wide” he smirked. 

Arya laughed, “You get fucked as hard as I did last night and then talk to me about stance.” 

“Oh fucking gods” Sansa sighed, cupping her forehead. 

“Well then” Jaime said, clearly surprised at her bold words. 

Arya didn’t elaborate, just gave a wink and wandered over to where Gendry was talking with Jon.

“I am sorry about her” Sansa said as Jaime took Arya’s spot beside her. 

“No need,” Jaime assured her, opening his fresh beer. “Your mom knows an absurd amount about baseball.” 

“Yeah, she grew up in the Riverlands where they are all about the Royals” Sansa shrugged. “I never really got into the professional stuff, I would rather play than watch.” 

“Same” he shrugged. 

“Jaime, I’m sorry---”

“Don’t be” he told her. “Nothing to be sorry for. Why does your sister keep looking over here and making rude gestures?” 

Sansa snort-laughed, “Arya is very...open when it comes to sex, as you have learned. She knows that...well…” she trailed off. 

“She knows what?” Jaime gave her a crooked smile as he sipped his beer. 

“She knows that given the green light, I’d show you a damn good time” Sansa smiled even as she felt her cheeks heat. 

“Confident of you” he shrugged. 

“Oh please!” Sansa laughed. 

“What makes you think I am that easy?” he teased. 

“I’d seduce you, three-piece” she leaned closer. “You’re already in jeans and a hoodie, no hair gel in sight. The city boy is almost gone and it’s been less than 18 hours. Soon, I’ll have you wearing hiking boots, and plaid, fucking by the light of a campfire.” 

“I suppose the cabin is secluded enough” he shrugged. “I don’t own any plaid, but...I could be convinced to enjoy a campfire. Or two” his eyes met hers and she felt the promise in his eyes sink into her core. 

“You’re a dangerous man, three-piece” she said quietly. 

“No more than you’re a dangerous woman, champ” he countered. 

“No---” she laughed hysterically. “Haven’t you ever made lasagna before?” she wiped the tears from her eyes. 

“No!” he laughed. “Obviously not!”

“Oh my gods” she clutched her side, leaning against the counter. After the picnic they had headed by the grocery store, loading up on food and a nice bottle of wine before driving to the cabin. He had relaxed on the couch as she showered away the grime of the baseball game, emerging in a faded t-shirt and a pair of ancient jeans that were snug to the curve of her ass, driving him wild.

She had decided that she was going to show him how to make lasagna, but so far they had spent more time laughing than cooking. 

“So what’s the trick then?” he laughed watching her. 

“You have to cook the pasta first” she snorted. “Oh my Gods, Jaime, please tell me you’ve cooked pasta.” 

“I have been in the major league since I was nineteen, no, I do not cook pasta” he shrugged. 

“Well, now you have to stay here, I need to teach you how to adult” she smirked at him. 

“Oh, I can adult” he raised a brow. “I just don’t consider myself a chef.”

“Is that right?” she sidled past him to turn on the stove beneath the pot of water. 

“Damn straight” he nodded. 

“I dunno, three-piece” she walked by him again, trailing a hand across his stomach as she passed. 

“Woman” he growled. 

“Boil the water” she challenged as he turned to grab her. “Stove on high, a little olive oil and salt in the water.” 

“I don’t give a damn about the olive oil” he moved closer, backing her against the counter. 

“You will” she purred. “It's always terrible when the pasta is dry and stuck together. You have to make sure they’re nice and slick.” He leaned closer and she pushed a box of noodles into his arms, “So much better when they’re tender.”

He’d never in his life been hard from talking about pasta, but he’d be damned if he wasn’t rock hard and ready to take her on this damn kitchen floor. He hadn’t even kissed her yet and he was hard enough to pound nails. 

Their game of cat and mouse continued as she walked him through the steps, pasta, meat (where he’d almost lost it and taken her right there), layering and then finally she was covering the glass dish with foil and sliding it into the oven. 

“Twenty five minutes we take the foil off” she smiled, closing the oven. “Then it cooks for another twenty-five without----” she squealed in laughter as he moved forward, lifting her and tossing her over his shoulder, depositing her on the couch. 

"Twenty-five minutes, I can work with that," he didn’t waste time, bending down to claim her lips in a near-violent kiss. At this point they were both so keyed up, everything was sloppy and frantic. It wasn’t sweet or tender, like first kisses usually were, but they were too far gone to care. Kissing her was electric, the touch racing through him, setting his heart racing and blood boiling. “Fuck” he hissed as she shoved her hands into his jeans, stroking his cock with firm movements. He kissed her deeply, tasting her as his tongue delved into her. 

“Jaime” she gasped as he tugged her shirt away, groaning at the pink lace of her bra. She was beautiful, all porcelain skin and rosy nipples that were visible through the material. He pulled her bra aside and bent down, pulling a dusky nipple into his mouth. She mewled in pleasure, her hands carding into this hair and he worshipped her. 

Their clothes were gone an instant later, victims to the frantic push and pull, both of them desperate for the other. 

“Gods” he marvelled at her nude form.

“I hope to the Gods you have a condom close by” she laughed, reaching out to stroke him once again. 

“Yeah---yeah” he grabbed his jeans from the floor and pulled his wallet free, grabbing the foil packet and tearing it open. 

“Thank Gods” she sighed, watching him with dark blue eyes as he rolled it over himself. “Inside, now.” Glancing to the couch, he instead grabbed her and pulled her across his lap as he sat on the cushions, “Ooh, three-piece” she smirked, reaching between them to align him with her body. With a smooth downward thrust she took him into her body, both of them groaning in pleasure. 

His head lolled back into the cushions as she enveloped him, the tight heat of her driving him wild. She leaned down to kiss him once more as she moved over him, her rhythm slow, steady and deep. 

He ran his body over every inch of her he could reach, committing all of her to memory. The warmth of the fire had them both slick with sweat as she rode him, their pants and moans filling the otherwise silent house. 

“Jaime” she gasped, grinding against him. 

“C’mon champ” he slid a thumb to her clit, circling the swollen flesh until she was crying out incoherently. He watched her, head thrown back, red hair wild as she took her pleasure and then she was fucking herself on him hard and fast, stopping only to scream his name and come around him. 

He grit his teeth, holding his own release back as she came, savouring every pulse and pant until her forehead sank to his shoulder. 

“Aw, champ, tapping out?” he smirked, holding her hips he stood, praying that his knee would hold out as he moved to the rug in front of the fire. Laying her on her back he settled in the cradle of her body and fucked her deeply, her body shaking with each thrust. 

“Oh, fuck” she gasped as he rutted into her. He braced himself over her, kissing her deeply as he took her. She felt like heaven, soaked and tight around him, long legs banded around his back. 

Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard the oven timer going off, but he kept moving, fucking her over and over until she was a drenched, squelching mess on his cock. 

“Jaime” she panted, coming down from her second--maybe it was third, orgasm. “Please baby, please come for me, please---oh Gods” she clawed at his back as he increased his pace, letting his ironclad grip on his release slip. “Oh God, Oh God” she clung to him and he fucked her harder, growling in pleasure. “Shit----”

Her cries echoed his mind as he felt he body fluttering around his and this time he let himself go, coming hard enough that he choked for breath as he filled the condom.

“Fuck” she shivered beneath him as he finished coming.

“Fuck is right” he gave a breathless laugh. 

“I can’t move” she laughed, smoothing his hair from his face. 

“Yeah?” he smirked, kissing her lax lips. 

“You fucked me through four orgasms, three-piece, yeah” she laughed. “Fuck. Good thing we didn’t do this last night, I wouldn’t have been able to crouch.”

He laughed, shaking his head as he slipped from her body, “Lemme deal with the condom” he moved slowly away from her, standing and moving to the kitchen where he tossed the embarrassingly full latex away. Before he returned to her, he opened the oven and pulled the foil off the top of the lasagna with the metal tongs on the stove and reset the timer. 

When he returned to the rug she had pulled a pillow from the couch onto the floor, relaxing in the firelight. She was a goddess, her fiery hair gleaming in the light. He stretched out beside her, sharing the pillow. 

“Hey” she kissed him softly. 

“I pulled the foil from the dish” he said lamely. 

“That earns you another kiss” she smiled, scooting closer and kissing him again. 

“And I reset the timer” he smirked. 

“Another one” she kissed him. 

“And----”

“Shut up” she wrapped her arms around him, kissing him with a lazy passion that had him pulling her flush against his body. Their passion momentarily sated, these kisses held no urgency, only tender affection and satisfaction. 

He was content to simply kiss her, to hold her as they basked in the firelight. Before he realized the time had passed, the oven timer was beeping once more. 

“I will grab it,” she whispered against his mouth, moving away to walk to the kitchen. He watched her go, slender curves unashamed of their nudity. She appeared a moment later, setting the wine and two glasses on the coffee table. “Open” she smirked setting the opener with the glasses. He obeyed, opening the wine and pouring them each a glass while she worked in the kitchen. 

A shuffle of silverware later she was carrying two plates into the living room, sitting on the floor beside him to hand him a plate and fork. He had never eaten dinner naked before, but she made no move to dress and he enjoyed watching her so he didn’t protest. 

Shoving a forkful of lasagna into his mouth he was surprised at how good it was, “That’s good” he said as soon as he chewed and swallowed. 

“Told you” she smiled, taking another bite. 

Jaime watched her from the couch, a cup of coffee in one hand, a thick book in the other. They had passed the weekend in a sexual haze, fucking more times that he could count until they’d finally collapsed into her bed early---very early, this morning. 

Now she was shuffling about the house, clad in the sexiest blue uniform he had ever seen, getting ready for work. 

“I will leave you the truck keys” she pointed to a hook on the wall. “If you need to go to town you can use it, its more low-profile than your Jaguar out there.” 

“Alright” he smiled, setting his book and coffee aside to stand. 

“Short shift today, I should be back this afternoon” she checked her sidearm before tucking it into her holster. “It will probably snow later, judging by the chill.”

“Gods, you’re sexy” he grabbed her as she walked by, kissing her softly. 

“Save your energy, three-piece” she smiled. “You’ll need it tonight.” 

“I will be sure to rest up” he replied. 

“Good” she stepped away, grabbing her jacket from the hall closet. 

He poured the fresh pot of coffee into her travel mug on the counter, carefully sealing it before handing it to her, “Be safe.” 

“Always” she assured him, stealing a quick kiss. “See you later.” 

He watched from the kitchen as she opened the door of the detached garage, revealing the sleek black and white Haunted Hollow Police SUV, backing out before closing the door once more. She gave a wave, likely spotting him in the window, and drove away, leaving him in the quiet of the cabin. 

He returned to the couch, his coffee and book, enjoying them both in his seclusion from the world. 

At some point must have fallen asleep because he found himself jolted awake by the sound of knocking on the door. Moving the book from his chest he stood and shuffled across the hardwood floor, deciding he needed to stoke the fire when he was done at the door. 

However, when he swung open the front door he looked back into the emerald eyes of the Great Lion himself. 

“Shit” Jaime muttered. 

“‘Shit’ is right” Tywin repeated, moving inside the house. “Hello, Jaime.” 

“Father” Jaime closed the door and moved to the fire, tossing another log onto the grate and stirring the coals.

“I wasn’t aware you knew how to stoke a fire” Tywin glared. 

“I've learned a lot the last few days” Jaime countered. “How did you find me?” 

“The lo-jack system on your car tracked it here. By chance, have you learned what the hell you’re doing?” Tywin asked. 

“No” Jaime shook his head. “But playing ball is over, there is no future for me there.” 

“Jaime--”

“No,” Jaime interrupted him angrily, then paused and took a deep breath. “Let me make some coffee and then maybe we can talk like adults.” 

He felt Tywin’s cold gaze follow him through the house to the kitchen, where he worked to set up the coffee pot and switched it on. 

“I would not assume this house is yours” Tywin noted, moving to sit at the kitchen table. 

“No” Jaime replied, grabbing a clean mug from the cabinet. He grabbed his own from the living room table and then returned to the kitchen. 

“A friend?” 

“Something like that” Jaime told him, not wanting to speak of Sansa just yet. 

“Jaime” Tywin sighed, shaking his head. “What were you thinking?” 

“I went to five doctors, had three surgeries” Jaime began. “I did the physical therapy, rehab, all of it, and my knee still gives out. There are days when the pain is almost unbearable and I can’t walk, I can barely run. The Knights cut me loose, and no other team will take on a liability like me. So I chose to walk away gracefully---”

“You ran” Tywin argued. 

“I did” Jaime admitted. “I ran because my entire life, the last twenty years, came to an end. I have to start over, to figure out what I want now that baseball isn’t an option.” 

“You can’t just run forever” Tywin stated. 

“I know, she said the same thing” Jaime said as he poured coffee into the mugs. 

“She” Tywin repeated. 

“She” Jaime motioned to the house, putting sugar in his father’s cup before carrying the mugs to the table. 

“I wasn’t aware you were in a relationship” Tywin prompted. 

“I wasn’t” Jaime frowned. “I mean, I’m not? I don’t know. It’s complicated.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me about the pain and the contract” Tywin asked. 

“Because I knew you’d be disappointed” Jaime reasoned. “And a disappointed Tywin Lannister is an angry Tywin Lannister.” 

“You make me out to be some sort of monster” Tywin protested. 

“You’re not exactly the easiest man to talk to, _Dad_” Jaime shrugged. “Not since Mom.” 

“Jaime---”

“Its true, and I get it” Jaime frowned. “I mean, I get it now.” 

“Does this have something to do with the owner of his home?”

“Maybe” Jaime nodded. “I thought my life was over, then there she was.” 

“They have a habit of showing up when we least expect them” Tywin said, sipping his coffee. “She must be a miracle worker if she can teach you to make palatable coffee.” 

Jaime laughed, “I think you’d like her.” 

As if conjured, the crunching of tires sounded in the distance and then he saw her SUV pull in behind his father’s Mercedes. She parked behind him, working on something in the car for several minutes before she emerged, carrying a paper bag towards the house. 

Tywin looked up as she entered the front door, eyes widening at the sight of the woman in uniform. 

“Tywin Lannister, I presume” she greeted, moving to set the bag on the kitchen table. “Want me to arrest him?”

“No,” he chuckled. “Sansa, this is my father. Tywin Lannister, Chief Sansa Stark.” 

“Chief?” 

“Of Police, Haunted Hollow Police Department” Sansa stated. “Fortunately for you, I brought home extra lunch” she told his father, pulling several items from the bag and setting them on the table. She grabbed utensils and poured herself a cup of coffee before returning. 

“Chief of Police, my my” Tywin watched her closely, his emerald gaze assessing her.

“You might be surprised” Sansa sat across from him at the table. “Us women even get to vote and own property now, too.”

Tywin’s booming laugh surprised Jaime, and he turned with wide eyes to watch his father laugh and shake his head, “Oh, I like her” Tywin declared. 

“Yeah, everyone does. The question is” Sansa opened the food trays. “Do you like barbecue?”

“I suppose it would be futile to ask you to come back to the city” Tywin said much later that evening as the three of them sat around the fireplace in the living room. Sometime after lunch the snowfall had picked up and outside was quickly turning into a very early season snowstorm. 

Sansa had changed out of her uniform after lunch, choosing jeans and a baggy sweater to relax in as she dealt with laundry and chores, leaving the two Lannister men to their discussion. 

“I am not going to go back” Jaime said and she turned to look at him. “Not yet, not for a long time.” 

She didn’t let herself dare to hope that he would want to stay with her. Haunted Hollow didn’t have much for a man as big as Jaime Lannister, and she would never ask him to give up his life. Was she attached to him? Damn straight, but she didn’t want him to sacrifice his happiness for the sake of hers. 

She could see now why Jaime had run. His father was an imposing, cold man, his eyes sharp as emeralds and he was obviously a very driven agent. 

When she had pulled into the driveway earlier she had immediately run the license plate on the Mercedes, not completely surprised when it came back registered to Tywin Lannister out of King’s Landing. She had grabbed a huge bag of barbecue from the diner and it worked out well, given she had an unexpected visitor. 

Now, given the rate at which it was snowing, he would be here for a few days. The sun would be fully set soon, and driving would be far too dangerous. Luckily she had a basement full of canned goods and a full fridge, always prepared, she was. 

“If you’re both hungry, I can reheat the lasagna for dinner” Sansa interjected sitting beside Jaime. 

“I can do it” Jaime patted her thigh and stood, heading to the kitchen. 

“I hardly recognize him” Tywin said, turning from the fire to watch her. 

A lesser woman would have squirmed under his gaze, “When was the last time you really looked at him?” she asked. 

“I don’t know,” he admitted. 

“You should get to know him” she smiled softly. “Your son is a good man.” Tywin nodded and she continued, “You’ll have the chance, we will likely have to stay indoors until the storm passes. I have extra rooms, plenty of food and I am running laundry so Jaime has clothes he can lend you.” 

“You’re very put together, aren’t you” he noted, not in an insulting way, simply as a matter of statement. 

“I am not one of those flighty women out for a rich husband or a celebrity name,” she said. “I have lived here, in Haunted Hollow, my entire life and I have been Chief of Police for two years. Being ‘put together’ is essential to my job and the safety of this town.”

“You remind me so much of my late wife” he laughed softly. “Strong, proud and never afraid to put me in my place.” 

“She would have to be strong to deal with so many stubborn Lannisters” Sansa smirked and he laughed again. She turned to see Jaime standing in the entrance to the kitchen, watching her with an odd expression. She gave him a small smile, both of them communicating without words as he moved back to sit by her side, wrapping an arm around her. 

By the time she showed Tywin to the spare room that Jaime had once occupied, the snow was really coming down outside. She handed him some of Jaime’s clothes that she had just washed and explained where the towels and what not were. 

“Thank you, Sansa, for graciously opening your house up to me” he said sincerely. 

“As stubborn as you are, I would hate to see you have an accident on the road,” she smiled. “Car accidents are a lot of paperwork.” 

He laughed softly, “Purely selfish motives then, I see.”

“Purely” she countered, moving to the door. “Goodnight, Mr. Lannister.”

“Call me Tywin, please, and goodnight” he replied as she shut the door and wandered down the hall to her room. 

She smiled at Jaime, already having stoked the fireplace and crawled into bed, he was relaxed against the flannel sheets. “Hey handsome” she shut the bedroom door and shed her sweater. “Come here often?” 

“Nowhere near often enough” he smirked, watching her as she shed her jeans before she climbed into the large log-framed bed. 

Once she was under the sheets he pulled her close, kissing her soundly. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, sinking into the strength of his body as he devoured her mouth. With a flick of the wrist, he had unclasped her bra and pulled the fabric away, tossing it behind him. 

“Jaime” she sighed as he did away with her panties next, leaving her as naked as he was. The sight of the Jaime Lannister sans clothing was quite a sight to behold. All those years as a professional athlete had done him a great service. He was lean, but all muscle and power, from the ridges of his stomach muscles to his thighs. 

“Watching you tell him to go fuck himself, Gods” he lay her back on the pillows and kissed his way down her body. 

“I said no such thing” she gasped as he suckled one of her nipples. 

“Oh you did, and you did it so well” he groaned, kissing her stomach and then lowering himself to nuzzle her folds. 

“Shit” she gasped as he lapped at her, teasing and licking like a man starved. She cried out when he sank a long finger into her and covered her mouth with her hand, doing her best to stay quiet. She did not want to face Tywin tomorrow morning and know that he had heard her. 

She was panting against her hand, body shaking as Jaime pushed her closer to her peak. He sucked roughly on her clit and she came against his mouth, stifling her cries with her hand as she writhed beneath him. 

He moved away from her long enough to grab a condom from their stash on the nightstand and then he was back over her, sinking into her with an insistent thrust. 

“Gods you’re tight” he groaned, kissed her. She could taste herself on his lips, the musky tang of her climax and she moaned softly. 

“So good” she wrapped her arms and legs around him, the whole of their bodies connected in their own private cocoon. 

There was no urgency, no rush, just an achingly slow tempo of give and take, his body slowly making love to hers as the snow flurried beyond the windows. Her world didn’t exist beyond the pleasure he was wringing from her body, beyond the feel of him moving against and within her. She watched his emerald eyes, glittering in the firelight, seeing the lust behind their depths. 

“Jaime” she tilted her hips to grind against him. 

“I need you to come for me” he whispered the plea. “Cause I am going to lose it soon...so fucking good, please…”

“My clit” she pleaded and his hand moved between them, deftly finding her nub and circling it. It didn’t take long and she was coming on his cock, gasping and his lips covered hers, swallowing her cries as he slid inside her a final time and growled his own climax. She felt him tremor and relax against her body and she smiled into their kiss, wishing this moment never had to end. 

Sansa was cooking breakfast and Jaime was seeing to the fire in the living room when Tywin emerged the next morning, clad in flannel pants and a faded shirt he looked much different than he had the previous evening. 

“Good morning. Coffee’s just there” Sansa motioned to the pot and empty mug. 

“I haven’t slept that well in years” Tywin chuckled as he poured himself a cup of the fresh brew. 

“Isn’t it great?” Jaime smiled, standing back to admire his fire. 

“Tywin, how do you take your eggs?” Sansa asked him a she cooked. 

“Any way is fine” Tywin replied. 

“Then I will just scramble them and let you choose your own toppings” she said, cracking and whipping the eggs. As she worked, the sound of a motor filled the silence outside and she grabbed a few more eggs, adding them to the bowl. 

Footsteps on the porch sounded and then the door opened, “Morning!”

“Morning Daddy!” she replied. 

“Morning Ned” Jaime greeted. “Oh--this is my father, Tywin Lannister. Tywin, Ned Stark, Sansa’s father.” 

Sansa turned to see her father shake Tywin’s hand in greeting, “I come bearing gifts” he lifted a few bags. 

“Mom sending you out to check on the kids?” Sansa smiled. 

“Any excuse to take the snowmobile out” Ned smiled, helping to carry a few bags to the kitchen. “You’re my last stop.”

“I am putting breakfast on, you hungry?”

“I could always eat” her father said, shrugging out of his coat. He hung it by the door before grabbing a mug and pouring himself a cup of coffee. 

Sansa worked quickly, finishing the eggs before she grabbed the rest of the plates and started to carry them to the table. Jaime moved to help her, stealing a kiss as he grabbed the orange juice from the fridge. She smiled, smacking his butt as she grabbed the bacon and toast.

“So Tywin, what brings you to Haunted Hollow?” Ned asked once they had all plated their food. 

“My errant son” Tywin said, a hint of amusement in his voice. 

“I’m afraid we’ve all adopted him” her father laughed and Sansa couldn’t help but smile. “He’s a Haunted Hollow citizen now.” 

“I have never heard of Haunted Hollow before this week” Tywin replied. 

“We prefer it that way” Sansa smiled. “Small, private town. We all keep to ourselves and watch out for our neighbors.”

“I wasn’t aware towns like that still existed” Tywin said. 

“They even have a drunk on a tractor” Jaime chuckled. 

“We do” Ned agreed. 

Tywin gave an odd sort of chuckle as he ate and Sansa wondered when the last time he relaxed was. Glancing to the windows she wondered if the early snowstorm was the Gods way of keeping the Lannister men here, if even for a few days. It was unseasonably cold and somehow Jaime and Tywin were both here. A hand on hers brought her back to the moment and she turned to see Jaime watching her, concern in his eyes. 

She smiled, silently reassuring him that everything was alright. He smoothed his thumb over her hand before releasing it and tucking back into his breakfast. 

After two days in the cabin, the snow had lightened up and they were able to get her SUV out and they ventured into town, Jaime snickering the entire time at the sight of his father in the backseat of a police car. 

Sansa parked near the diner at the edge of downtown, sliding out from behind the wheel in her uniform, turning to open Tywin’s door. 

“Thank you” he unfolded himself from the back. 

“I’d apologize, but I am fairly certain Jaime won’t stop giggling at the idea of you crammed in the back” she smiled. 

“A first time for everything, I suppose” Tywin said. 

“I have to run across to the station, check in with everyone” Sansa told the Lannister men. “Give me an hour, I will meet you at the diner?” 

“Sure” Jaime smiled, glancing around as he moved closer. 

“You can kiss me, Jaime, I don’t care who is around,” she assured him and he gave that damned charming boyish smile, kissing her softly. 

“Good, cause I am pretty sure my Dad heard you this morning in the shower” he whispered. 

“Damn you, Jaime” she shoved him away with a smile. He laughed, moving to his father’s side and the two men wandered through the downtown area. She watched for a moment, people waving to Jaime as if they had known him forever. 

She crossed to the station, kicking the snow off her boots by the door before ducking inside. 

“There she is! Finally” Roose’s deep voice greeted her. 

“Oh piss off” she laughed, turning as Roose handed her a cup of coffee. 

“I am almost honored” he teased. “I teach you all I know and you get to use it on the Kingslayer.” 

“Gods, Roose” she gagged. “You and your one track mind.”

“Yeah yeah” he put an arm around her shoulders. “Just wait until you see the property damage reports from the storm. You would much rather listen to me talk about my sexual prowess.” 

“Prowess, that’s an overly-confident word for it, don’t you think?” she teased as they reached her office. 

“Ouch” he stumbled back, clutching his chest with a smirk, grey eyes alight with mirth.

“Don’t worry, you’ll always be the best---”

“You’re a shit liar, Stark” he laughed. “Always have been.”

“Always will be” she smiled. “Now get out of here and let me work.” 

“And you’re welcome for the coffee!”

Sansa laughed, “Thank you!” she sat at her desk and started sorting through the urgent paperwork she had to deal with. 

Only a half an hour had passed when yelling caught her attention. She stood quickly, frowning as she made her way to the front of the station. In the lobby, Tywin and Jaime were panting and looking around, the doors now holding back an army of reporters and photographers. 

“Shit” she grimaced. 

“So, they found me” Jaime frowned. "How?"

"They probably did the same thing I did, the storm just delayed them" Tywin frowned. "Or they followed me."

“Right” Sansa looked to the large crowd outside. “Roose!” she called and when he appeared, tossed him her keys. “Get my SUV to the sally port downstairs. Roose, smash!”

“Yes ma’am” he pulled on his jacket and barged out the front door, his large form cutting through the reporters like a hot knife through butter. 

“Come on” Sansa instructed Tywin and Jaime, noticing that Jaime’s limp was more pronounced than she had seen it. 

“We ran from the hardware store” Jaime explained. 

“Alright,” she gave a small smile. “We’ll get out of this, trust me.” She led them to a staircase and down to the lower level, using her keys to open the barred doors. “Underground sally port” she said as the garage door opened and her SUV appeared. “To transfer prisoners out of the weather.”

“Perfect” Jaime laughed as Roose parked in front of them. 

“In” she told them. 

“Roose, grab the other SUV and follow me out, I go south, you go north” she climbed into the car and the other man got to work. When they hit the street, the reporters were unsure which car to photograph, Jaime and Tywin having ducked in the back of her car, and they were able to get a head start. 

She easily made it to the cabin, the men hurrying inside. 

“We should go back to the city” Tywin said. “Deal with them and let the attention die down. Otherwise they will flood the town until something breaks.” Sansa felt her stomach drop, knowing that the older Lannister was right but hating that it meant Jaime would be leaving. 

“Alright” Jaime ran his hands through his hair, looking to her. “I won’t be gone a second longer than I have to be.” 

“Alright” she said lamely, her voice not very convincing. 

“Sansa--”

“It’s okay Jaime” she moved forward to kiss his cheek. “I think I always knew you were going to leave.”

“Sansa, I will be back” he grabbed her shoulders. 

“Sure, Jaime” she nodded. 

“You’ll wait for me--”

“I’m not going anywhere, Jaime” she interrupted. “You know where to find me.” 

“Jaime” Tywin cut in. “We should hurry.” 

“Right, yeah” Jaime nodded. 

“I will pull your cars out of the snow” she gave a nod, moving away from Jaime in a haze as she got to work. With the winch on the front of her patrol car, moving the cars had been easy and soon they would be able to make it out of the drive and away from Haunted Hollow. 

Away from her. 

She kicked a pile of snow, cursing herself as she stored her winch cables and chains in her car. 

“Hey” Jaime’s voice sounded behind her and she turned to see him, duffel bag over his shoulder. 

“Hey” she smiled. “Drive safe, the roads are still crummy.” 

“I will” he said, frowning. “I will be back, Sansa.”

“Jaime” she sighed. “You don’t know what awaits you in the city, don’t make a promise you don’t know if you can keep.”

“Not a matter of can” he said. “I _will_ be back.” 

“Be safe” she leaned up to kiss him softly, committing the feel of his lips to memory. His hand cupped her cheek and she did her best to hold back the tears. 

“See you soon, Chief” he whispered. And then he was gone. 

Tywin watched his son as he stood in the window of the Major League offices, his eyes glued to the horizon as they seemed to be more often than not, these days. Back in his usual suit and tie, one would almost forget that Jaime Lannister had been spotted in a tiny town upstate in jeans and flannel. 

He could see the sadness in Jaime’s eyes, the weight on his shoulders that hadn’t been there a few weeks ago in Sansa’s cabin. 

Tywin himself hadn’t realized how bad Jaime’s knee injury had been until they were running from the press and Jaime had a hard time keeping up. He had been a focused agent and it had gotten in the way of his being a good father-- a decent father.

“Mr. Lannister, Jaime” Barristan Selmy and Bronn Black came in, the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, shaking their hands. “Thank you for meeting with us” Barristan motioned to the table and they all sat. 

“As you know, the Knight’s have chosen to let your contract lapse” Bronn began. “We are prepared to offer you a coaching position, should you care to remain in the league, and--”

“No” Jaime shook his head. “I don’t want--”

“Jaime” Tywin turned to his son. “Hear them out, we will discuss everything afterwards.” Jaime grimaced but nodded, returning to listening. 

“A coaching position, as I said” Bronn resumed. “Should you wish to pass on that, we also have a few scout positions open, some that would allow you to live where you prefer and work within that region” he said pointedly. 

“We have it on good authority that you will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next year” Barristan said with a smile. “You have changed the face of the game, Jaime, that is nothing to scoff at. Nor is it something to walk away from.”

“With all due respect,” Jaime said. “I have lived and breathed baseball since I was six. I will be 40 next month and I have nothing to show for my life beyond baseball. No wife, no children---”

“Just eight World Series wins, multiple records and forever being known as the man who defeated Aerys in a no hitter” Bronn interjected. 

“World Series rings don’t smile at me across the pillow when they wake up beside me” Jaime argued. 

“If it’s women you want---”

“Woman, singular. Just one” Jaime glared, the action reminding Tywin so much of himself at that age. 

“The cop, I assume” Bronn smirked, obviously having seen the viral photo of Jaime kissing Sansa that morning in downtown Haunted Hollow. It had been plastered across every media channel and newspaper in the city, all of them wondering how someone so ‘small’ had captured his eye. It had infuriated him, he couldn’t imagine how angry Jaime had been. 

“Chief of Police, actually” Tywin stepped in, hoping to diffuse the situation. 

“We are not here to argue” Barristan slid a file across the table. “We are here to make our offer known, and give you an opportunity to stay with the league.” 

“Thank you, Mr. Selmy” Tywin took the folder. “We will review this and let you know our decision.” They stood, exchanging hand shakes and salutations. Tywin was grateful that Jaime had seemed to calm down, his jaw relaxing as they prepared to leave. 

“Kingslayer” Bronn said as they made for the door. “Try not to let some small town piece of ass ruin a brilliant career.”

Tywin sighed. Fuck. 

“Hey Chief!” the greetings called out as Sansa entered the diner, this time the entire placed decked out for Christmas, holiday music playing in the background. The big holiday was only a few days away, the entire town had gone all out, looking every inch the winter wonderland it was. 

She greeted the few patrons inside, ducking into the back booth across from Roose. 

“Afternoon” he greeted, watching her closely. 

“Afternoon” she smiled as best she could. 

“Still nothing, eh?” 

“Roose--”

“I am going to beat the shit out of him” Roose promised. “Fuck up his other knee so he hobbles the rest of his life. Hell be walking like he is trying not to shit himself--” 

She laughed softly, “It's not worth it. At least all of the reporters are gone, done taking my picture.”

“I only had to arrest thirteen of them for the others to get the message” Roose shrugged. 

“I think it was your 'delousing' that had them all running scared” she smirked as Shireen brought over their food. 

“Better than torturing them, I guess,” he replied. 

“I guess” she said. “Maybe now people will forget about Haunted Hollow.”

“Yeah” Roose nodded. “And you? You gonna forget about the Kingslayer?”

“Easier said than done,” she quipped. 

“Yea, I know how that goes” Roose gave a small smile. 

“Definitely ready for the year to be over” she tucked into her burger. 

“Christmas Eve is tomorrow, you’re almost through” he added and they lapsed into silence as they ate.

Sansa glanced to the newest photo on the wall beside the 8x10 of her and her family in uniform. It had been taken at the picnic after the fall game and showed Jaime with Sam and Gilly’s son, John, teaching him how to hold the bat properly. 

“I can have them take it down” Roose said quietly and she pulled her eyes from the photo. 

“No, it's a nice photo” she said truthfully. “It wasn’t all bad, ya know?”

“It’s usually just the endings that are bad” Roose reached out to pat her hand, stealing a piece of bacon from her plate. 

“It's the death of hope that is bad” she whispered, giving a small smile. 

“San--”

“It’s all good” she cut him off. “Let’s eat before the snow picks up, I still have to shop before I go home.”

“Alright” he accepted the subject change, though she could tell he wanted to argue. They finished their meals, leaving some extra cash for Shireen for Christmas, before making their way to their cars. 

“Merry Christmas, loser” Sansa hugged him. “See you at Mass.” 

Roose kissed her forehead, “Merry Christmas.” 

Sansa shopped quickly, grabbing what she needed to make an apple pie for Christmas dinner with her family along with a few dinner essentials. Impulsively she grabbed a bottle of white wine, perhaps she’d enjoy a glass in her empty cabin tomorrow night. She laughed to herself, she knew damn good and well she would drink more than one glass and end up sliding across the wood floor in her socks like 'Risky Business'. Loading the SUV she climbed behind the wheel and pointed towards home. 

For the first few weeks after he left, she had hoped to come home and find Jaime waiting for her, his charming smile in place and arms open. But as the days ran on, she began to lose hope and the reality of it started to set in. 

So many times she had thought about googling him or checking the news, but she was afraid of what she would see. He was gone. He was famous, rich and could have any life in the world. Why would he want the small life she had? 

Grimacing she cursed herself for thinking that her life was small. She loved her life, her town... The only problem was that she loved Jaime too. And she hadn’t had the chance to realize it until he was gone. 

Turning down her driveway she drove through the woods, frowning at the sight of the white SUV in her driveway beside the garage. 

“Who the fuck” she looked to see the plate and saw that there wasn’t one, just a 'King’s Landing Land Rover' logo in the bracket. _King’s Landing_ her heart started to race as she parked. 

Carrying her grocery bags up the porch she saw the lights were on and the fire was going. She opened the door, eyes raking over the boxes strewn across the floor. 

“You’re here” the familiar deep voice sounded and she looked up to see Jaime in the hall. He looked even better than he had two months ago, in faded jeans, a t-shirt and plaid button down. Plaid. 

“Jaime” she started around the room. “What…”

He moved forward, taking the bags from her hands and kissing her shocked lips softly, “I missed you, Gods---”

His kiss seemed to bring her back to the present, “What the fuck---where the fuck have you been? It’s been over two months!”

“I’m sorry” he set the bags on the counter. “I had a lot of meetings, league stuff and then the police--”

“Police!?” she gaped.

“I forget you don’t watch the news” he chuckled. “I might or might not have punched the daylights out of the Deputy Commissioner of Baseball.”

“Oh my Gods, you’re a felon” she sighed. 

“No, he dropped the charges eventually but there is a restraining order in place until the Hall of Fame ceremony next year,” he explained. 

“Hall of Fame, wow” she nodded. “So…”

“Right, so after I settled that, I sold my penthouse, traded in my car and now I am here” he ran a hand through his hair. “Probably should have asked if I could move in, huh?”

“Ya think?” she countered, though she was holding back tears of happiness by the skin of her teeth. He took a few hesitant steps closer, “Jaime…” 

“It only took five days to fall in love with you” he said softly. “Though it might have happened sooner, I can’t be sure when it happened exactly. Leaving nearly killed me.” 

“Tell me about it” she glared and he reached out to cup her cheek, wiping away a tear she hadn’t realized slipped free. 

“I’m not going anywhere” he smiled. “Turned out Haunted Hollow had an opening for a resident retiree.”

“Oh did it?”

“I was sworn in a few hours ago” he smiled. 

“By who?” 

“Ned and Robb Stark, Haunted Hollow Police Department” he replied. 

“They know you’re here?”

“How do you think I got these boxes here in one trip? And inside so fast?"

Sansa sighed, laughing softly, “Robb has my truck, said he was going to pick up a Christmas present…”

“Merry Christmas, champ. I can put a bow on, if you like,” he offered. 

“Will you _only_ be wearing the bow?” she 

“I could be convinced” he rested his forehead against hers. “I am so sorry I left, but I am not leaving again. I have six months to convince you to go to the Hall of Fame induction with me so I don't have to be parted from you.”

“Oh yeah?” she smirked. “Go back to that part where you’re in love with me…”

“Did I say that?”

“You did” she nodded. 

“Huh” he paused. “I don’t remember.”

“Listen, three-piece--” her words were cut off as he leaned in and kissed her, both of them sighing at the relief of finally being connected once more. His arms went around her as she grabbed his plaid shirt, holding him close. This kiss, she decided, was the best kiss of her life. 

“I love you” he whispered, kissing her again. This was soft and sweet before he pulled back. 

“I love you, stupid man” she smiled. 

“Can I move in?” he gave that boyish smile of his. 

“Let me think about it” she let the pause linger between them. “Alright. I guess” she teased. 

“Woman” he kissed her, devouring her mouth until they were both breathless and she was jell-o in his arms. 

“Let me” she cleared her throat. “Let me put the groceries away and we can...Gods, I can’t even be smooth right now. Food away, then I am going to have my way with you.” 

“Sounds reasonable” he slowly released her. “We have all the time in the world, until Christmas lunch. I promised your mother we would be by.” 

“Oh Gods, you’re in cahoots with my mother,” she sighed, crossing to the kitchen. 

“I had to, otherwise I am fairly certain she was going to geld me.”

“Nothing compared to what Roose is going to do when he sees you” she teased and he paled. “Don’t worry three-piece, I won’t let him hurt you.” 

“Woman…” he growled and she laughed, her heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks. 

He smirked to himself, thinking for the thousandth time this week that he was the luckiest bastard alive. There was just no way around it. 

Glancing around, the entire lakeshore was filled with Lannisters, Starks, a few Waters and one Bolton. Jaime was relaxed in one of the adirondack chairs on the grass in the shade, a beer in one hand and his eight month old daughter asleep on his lap. Little Lily-Jo was her mother’s copy and the first Stark and Lannister granddaughter, therefore she was incredibly spoiled. 

In the center of the chairs and benches was a large fire pit, one they would all gather around later to laugh and share stories. It was their ritual, the best source of entertainment in town.

Beside Jaime, in another adirondack, his father was stretched out, legs propped up on an ottoman, completely relaxed. He couldn’t remember ever seeing his father in cargo shorts and a linen shirt growing up, but here Tywin sat, sunglasses in place and drink in hand. 

Each season found the Great Lion in Haunted Hollow more and more, his appearances in town having turned to waves and greetings by name and Jaime figured it was only a matter of time before he found a lake house of his own. 

Down on the shore, Ned and Cat were running around with Robb and Jeyne’s boys while Gendry and Jon were laughing with Val, Bran and Rickon. The lake was where they spent most of their spring and summer weekends. He learned that all of the Stark houses backed up to the lake at some point, so boats connected them in the warm months, snowmobiles in the cold. 

Squeals of laughter came from the wooden dock and he looked up to see Arya, now a Waters, lifting Will with that absurd firefighter strength of hers to toss him into the lake where Roose was waiting. Will was 6 now, Jaime and Sansa’s first born who arrived just a shade under 7 months after they married. Though they’d had no idea at the time, Sansa had been a few weeks pregnant when they married right here on this shore in a terribly private ceremony. 

He had worked hard on convincing her to marry him as soon as he moved to Haunted Hollow, but she took a while, ‘made him work for it’ as she teased. Eventually she gave in after a very enjoyable swim in this very lake. It had been an interesting transition, from King’s Landing to Haunted Hollow, but he settled in quickly. Eventually, when Will arrived, he began his favorite job in the world. Stay-at-home Dad and little league coach.

And Sansa, he smiled as she came out the back door of the house, coming down the deck stairs, hair blowing in the wind. His Chief was looking to take her mother’s place as Mayor when Cat eventually retired. She wore a thin white dress over her black swimsuit, looking more beautiful than any woman had the right to. 

Each day he found another reason to love his wife, another piece of their life together to love. She was carrying a huge tray of food and when Bran and Rickon spotted her, they rushed into the house, grabbing the other trays and bringing them out to the picnic benches.

“Dinner, guys!” she called out to those on the dock. He watched Roose emerge from the lake, Will on his shoulders and laughing hysterically as Arya pelted them with water guns. He watched his wife as she laughed with her family before making her way to him. There was happiness and love everywhere he looked and it made him smile. “I can’t believe she’s asleep” Sansa leaned down to kiss him.

“She’s a daddy’s girl” he reasoned. 

“If Papa Tywin isn’t available, sure. You and I are second string to Papa T” she teased. “You want something to eat?” 

“Sure” he smiled. “Surprise me.” 

“Surprise you?” she smirked. 

“Yeah” he said as she leaned closer to kiss his cheek. 

“You’ll be a dad again by Christmas,” she whispered. 

“No way! You’re pregnant!?” he said loud enough to wake Lily-Jo. His daughter whimpered a bit but when she spotted Papa Tywin beside her she smiled and reached for him. Tywin, of course, took her without pause so Jaime could stand, aware that everyone was watching them.

“Yeah” Sansa laughed as he picked her up and spun her around. 

“Gods, I love you, champ” he kissed her. 

“I love you, three-piece” she smiled. 

He was a lucky bastard alright. He’d run from his problems and headlong into his future.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Follow me on tumblr for pic sets and more shenanigans!  
@the-red-wulf or https://the-red-wulf.tumblr.com/


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